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Stimulus funds eyed for Mesa Mall bus transfer station

The Regional Transportation Planning Office, which manages Grand Valley Transit, has plans to build a transfer station southwest of the mall.

The station would be about a minute’s walk from the mall, thereby eliminating the stop in front of the former Mervyn’s department store.

The project would cost $1 million and could be completed this summer, depending on funding.

Funding could come from the federal stimulus package. The project is on the “A-list” of proposed funding priorities from the stimulus package, said Todd Hollenbeck, manager of the Regional Transportation Planning Office.

The transfer station, which would have minimal shelter for riders and possibly a rest room, would be at the interchange of Redlands Parkway and U.S. Highway 6&50, immediately southwest of the mall.

“There are two ramps that would have to be removed as part of this project,” Hollenbec said
If all goes as planned, the off ramp from northbound Redlands Parkway onto westbound U.S. 6&50 and the adjacent off ramp from westbound U.S. 6&50 onto 24 Road would be closed, Hollenbeck said.

A study last year showed the ramps were not being utilized, and there were no objections raised at community meetings in which the new bus shelter was discussed.

“There is not a sufficient amount of traffic that is using those,” he said.

The only problem with the site is the property is in the city of Grand Junction’s right of way. Hollenbeck said he will ask the Grand Junction City Council this week for permission to use the site.

“We would be looking at, most likely, construction in the spring or even summer time frame, if everything goes through,” he said.